A bill to allow Connecticut voters to cast their ballots early passed overnight.
A bill that would allow Connecticut voters to cast their ballots early passed overnight.
The bill passed 27 to 7 in the Senate early Wednesday morning. Connecticut is just one of four states that currently doesn't allow in-person voting, but with this process, that could change.
Overall the bill would allow a couple of things. It would give Connecticut voters 14 days to cast their general election ballots early and in-person.
It would also allow seven early voting days for most primaries and four for presidential primaries and special elections.
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This has been something Connecticut voters have overwhelmingly supported in the past and both parties say they are coming together to make it happen.
"My great hope is that one day we can extend this early voting to all elections," said Sen. Mae Flexer, (D) 29th District.
"A vote in the democracy in a government where the people rule that vote is so critically important that we must look to endeavor to get to a bipartisan solution," said Sen. Kevin Kelly, (R) Senate Minority Leader.
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The bill now heads to Gov. Ned Lamont's desk for his signature.
He said in a statement Wednesday afternoon that he will sign the legislation in the coming days.
“We are one of the only states in the nation that do not allow early voting, and once I sign this bill Connecticut will finally implement this long-overdue, needed reform,” Lamont said in a statement.
“In today’s economy, it is not realistic to expect every eligible citizen to travel in person to one specific location during a limited set of hours on a Tuesday to cast their ballot. Early voting will enable more people to become active participants in our democracy and increase the number of voters who cast a ballot – something that every American should support," Lamont said. "I applaud the bipartisan members of the General Assembly who voted in favor of this bill, and I also thank Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas for her commitment to getting this done. I look forward to adding my signature to this bill in the next several days.”
The legislation would take effect in January.
